Macron arrives in India to meet Modi, focused on fighter jet deal
Kyiv • UNN
French President Emmanuel Macron begins a three-day visit to India, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The main topics of discussion are cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and a potential contract for the supply of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in Mumbai, beginning his three-day visit to India focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a potential multi-billion dollar fighter jet deal, UNN reports with reference to AFP.
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France aims to expand its military partnership with New Delhi, and discussions are expected on a possible contract for the supply of 114 additional French Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
Modi, in a social media statement addressed to his "dear friend" Macron, after the start of the trip with his wife Brigitte to India's financial capital, said he looked forward to "taking our bilateral ties to new heights."
Modi, who will meet Macron later on Tuesday afternoon, said he was "confident that our discussions will further strengthen cooperation."
Macron, making his fourth visit to India since taking office in 2017, began his visit on Tuesday with a program that included honoring the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks and meeting with Bollywood stars, including Shabana Azmi and Manoj Bajpayee.
He also called Modi his "dear friend" in a post on X, saying they would "go even further" in cooperation.
The visit comes after New Delhi confirmed last week its intention to place a large order for Rafale fighter jets, as well as the signing in January of a landmark free trade agreement between India and the European Union.
Macron will visit New Delhi to participate in an artificial intelligence summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
Over the past decade, New Delhi has sought to reduce its dependence on Russia, its traditional main supplier of military equipment, by turning to other countries and at the same time increasing domestic production.
A statement from the Indian Ministry of Defense, published last week, said that the proposed purchase of Rafale fighter jets has been approved, with "a large part" of them to be produced in India.
Christophe Jaffrelot, an India specialist at the Sciences Po Center for International Studies in Paris, called the potential 30 billion euro (35 billion dollar) deal for the purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets the "contract of the century."
If the deal is completed, these fighter jets will complement the 62 Rafale fighter jets already acquired by India.
The French Prime Minister expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching what he called a "historic" agreement.
On Tuesday, Modi and Macron will virtually inaugurate India's first helicopter final assembly line, a joint venture between the Indian Tata Group and Airbus.
The plant in Vemagal, in the southern state of Karnataka, near the technology hub of Bangalore, will produce the Airbus H125, the company's best-selling single-engine helicopter.
Over the past decade, France has become one of India's most important partners in defense and economy.
"During this visit, we aim to further strengthen cooperation" with India and "diversify" France's economic and trade partnerships, according to a statement from Macron's administration.
India, the world's most populous country with 1.4 billion people, is on track to become the world's fourth-largest economy.
Discussions this week are also expected to cover global economic uncertainty caused by customs policies under US President Donald Trump, as well as China's influence in the region.
Bilateral trade between France and India, largely driven by the defense and aerospace industries - India's commercial fleet includes a significant number of Airbus aircraft - amounts to about 15 billion euros (18 billion dollars) annually. French direct foreign investment in India totals almost 13 billion euros (15 billion dollars).
The leaders of both countries will also seek to strengthen close personal ties.
"It seems there is good 'chemistry' between them, good personal relations," Jaffrelot said.
Ukraine remains a sensitive issue: India has not condemned Russia's 2022 invasion and continues to buy oil from Moscow.
US President Donald Trump said that India had committed to stop buying, although this has not been officially confirmed by New Delhi.
"If the Indians stop buying Russian oil, they will not be blamed for abstaining from voting at the UN," Jaffrelot added.